Abstract
This paper reveals a missing thread in the global historiography of architectural theory by scrutinizing the relationship between political ideology and architectural discourse in Mao’s China (1949–76). Several critical moments in this era, during which new theories or concepts emerged, deserve close study: 1) the National Style in 1954; 2) the official design principle, ‘appropriateness, economy, and if possible, beauty’ in 1955; 3) the Socialist New Style in 1959; 4) the Design Revolution in 1964; and 5) the ‘new architecture’ in 1973. The political context and the role of state ideology are discussed with regard to the relevant texts, buildings, architects and design institutes. Discussion focuses on the mode of theoretical production in the Mao era, which is summarized as a relation between ‘container’ and ‘content’. The broad and abstract theories of the time are conceptual containers that failed to define specific contents. Architectural autonomy continued to exist in the form of knowledge accumulation, especially the absorption of modernism, even though state ideology and political movements dominated architectural discourse.
Highlights
China in the era of Mao (1949–1976) was characterized by a series of political movements and by intense ideological propaganda
The political ideology of the state was raised to the highest level, dominating every sphere of social, economic and intellectual life, including architectural discourse
To trace the development of architectural theories in relation to the evolving socio-political contexts, we need to focus on several critical events, including the related political ideology and architectural theories, along with texts, buildings and architects: 1) the creation of the National Style in 1954; 2) the establishment of the official design principle of ‘appropriateness, economy, and if possible, beauty’ in 1955; 3) the proposal of the Socialist New Style in 1959; 4) the launch of the Design Revolution in 1964; and 5) the emergence of ‘new architecture’ in 1973
Summary
This paper reveals a missing thread in the global historiography of architectural theory by scrutinizing the relationship between political ideology and architectural discourse in Mao’s China (1949–76). Several critical moments in this era, during which new theories or concepts emerged, deserve close study: 1) the National Style in 1954; 2) the official design principle, ‘appropriateness, economy, and if possible, beauty’ in 1955; 3) the Socialist New Style in 1959; 4) the Design Revolution in 1964; and 5) the ‘new architecture’ in 1973. The political context and the role of state ideology are discussed with regard to the relevant texts, buildings, architects and design institutes. Discussion focuses on the mode of theoretical production in the Mao era, which is summarized as a relation between ‘container’ and ‘content’. Architectural autonomy continued to exist in the form of knowledge accumulation, especially the absorption of modernism, even though state ideology and political movements dominated architectural discourse
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